Written in the Stars

Written in the Stars

Can the stars tell us who we are—or are they simply helping us understand ourselves? In this episode, we explore the growing role astrology plays in modern life and dating. What began with a conversation with an Uber driver in Los Angeles who decided to leave the city after learning what her birth chart supposedly revealed, it became a much larger discussion about the influence astrology has on the choices we make. From compatibility and first impressions to deciding whether someone is “our type,” we ask why so many people—particularly women—turn to astrology for guidance, comfort, and self-discovery. At what point does astrology become a tool for reflection, and when does it become a reason to write someone off before truly getting to know them? Whether you’re a devoted horoscope reader or someone who’s never looked at a birth chart, this conversation isn’t about proving or disproving astrology. It’s about understanding why it resonates with so many people and what it might reveal about our desire for meaning, identity, and connection. Sources: https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2025/05/21/3-in-10-americans-consult-astrology-tarot-cards-or-fortune-tellers/ [https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2025/05/21/3-in-10-americans-consult-astrology-tarot-cards-or-fortune-tellers/] https://www.refinery29.com/en-us/queer-astrology-gender-identity [https://www.refinery29.com/en-us/queer-astrology-gender-identity] https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/astrology/relationships-marriage/is-kundli-matching-necessary-for-love-marriage/articleshow/68205906.cms [https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/astrology/relationships-marriage/is-kundli-matching-necessary-for-love-marriage/articleshow/68205906.cms] https://www.stylist.co.uk/relationships/dating-love/gen-z-astrology-dating/1021641 [https://www.stylist.co.uk/relationships/dating-love/gen-z-astrology-dating/1021641] https://www.tinderpressroom.com/2026-03-12-Tinder-Debuts-Inaugural-Product-Keynote-Tinder-Sparks-2026-Start-Something-New [https://www.tinderpressroom.com/2026-03-12-Tinder-Debuts-Inaugural-Product-Keynote-Tinder-Sparks-2026-Start-Something-New]

Easy Work?

For the tenth episode of The Space Between Venus and Mars, we're joined by our friend Paul, who has been married for 25 years, to explore what it actually takes to build and sustain a long-term partnership. Through stories, reflections, and honest conversation, Paul shares his experiences navigating marriage, relationship dynamics, and the evolving roles men and women play within a partnership. Together, we discuss the realities of commitment, the challenges that arise over time, and the lessons learned from more than two decades of marriage. What makes a relationship last? How do couples navigate changing expectations around gender and partnership? And after 25 years, what wisdom can be shared with those still trying to figure it all out? Sources: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/06/18/podcasts/celine-song-materialists-modern-love.html [https://www.nytimes.com/2025/06/18/podcasts/celine-song-materialists-modern-love.html] Movies Referenced: The Materialists Jerry Maguire Twilight

Light-Years Away: Slap Heard 'round the World

In this episode of The Space Between Venus and Mars, we’re trying something a little different today! We’re traveling “Light-Years Away” to the year 2022 to reexamine the Will Smith Oscar’s slap towards Chris Rock.  We take a deep dive into the controversy surrounding the slap. We discuss the different challenges Will and Jada face in their Hollywood marriage. What motivated Will to go up on stage and slap Chris Rock? Was it his failing marriage with Jada? Was he defending Jada’s honor or simply serving his own self interest?  Chris and Jesi unpack some of the serious conversations surrounding the slap at the time. Did toxic masculinity need to be a main part of the conversation? Or did that make simple work of a complicated situation? Join us as we travel “Light-Years Away”…  Citations  “Watch the Uncensored Moment Will Smith Smacks Chris Rock on Stage at the Oscars, Drops F-Bomb.” Youtube, Guardian News , 27 Mar. 2022, www.youtube.com/watch?v=myjEoDypUD8. Rashotte, Vivian. “Jada Pinkett Smith Opens up about the Oscars Slap - and Why It Brought Her Closer to Will Smith | CBC Arts.” CBCnews, CBC/Radio Canada, 18 Oct. 2023, www.cbc.ca/arts/q/jada-pinkett-smith-opens-up-about-oscars-slap-1.6995512. Collins, Riyah. “Will Smith: Oscars Slap Fallout Made Me Reflect, Says Star.” BBC News, BBC, 17 June 2025, www.bbc.com/news/articles/c9qxgn37j43o. Garcia-Navarro, Lulu, et al. “Opinion | Four Opinion Writers on Will Smith’s Slap: ‘There Are No Heroes in This Story’ (Published 2022).” The New York Times Opinion , The New York Times, 3 Mar. 2022, www.nytimes.com/2022/03/29/opinion/will-smith-chris-rock-oscars-slap.html. Harper, Shaun. “Contributor: Will Smith’s Attack on Chris Rock Shows Toxic Masculinity Boiling Over.” Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 28 Mar. 2022, www.latimes.com/opinion/story/2022-03-28/will-smith-chris-rock-oscars-slap-toxic-masculinity [http://www.latimes.com/opinion/story/2022-03-28/will-smith-chris-rock-oscars-slap-toxic-masculinity]. Buss, David M. The Evolution of Desire: Strategies of Human Mating. Basic Books, 2016. All The Smoke. “Will Smith Opens up about the Oscars Slap.” YouTube, All the Smoke Productions , 8 Aug. 2025, youtube.com/shorts/EhKZMZD6j8Q?si=HgSSFlaw1F-G4QGe [http://youtube.com/shorts/EhKZMZD6j8Q?si=HgSSFlaw1F-G4QGe]. Movies and Shows Referenced  G.I. Jane (1997) Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (2001) The Real Housewives of New Jersey (2009-) Bojack Horseman (2014 - 2020)

Not in My Media Silo

In this episode of The Space Between Venus and Mars, we explore the concept of media silos—the personalized digital worlds created by our algorithms, interests, and online habits. From the content men are consuming to the content women are consuming, we examine how social media, podcasts, news, and influencers can shape entirely different perspectives on the same issues. With an infinite amount of content competing for our attention, algorithms are designed to keep us engaged—but are they also keeping us divided? We discuss how outrage, certainty, and polarization often outperform nuance, creating online spaces where complexity is flattened into opposing sides, and disagreement becomes a source of engagement. As our feeds become increasingly personalized, what happens to shared understanding? Are we choosing our media silos, or are they choosing us? We also consider an important question: Does it have to be this way? If technology can be designed to maximize engagement, could it also be designed to encourage curiosity, nuance, and meaningful dialogue?

Performing Tradwifery

In this episode of the Space Between Venus and Mars, we explore the growing online fascination with “tradwives” — women embracing or performing ideals tied to traditional femininity, homemaking, and domestic life. Inspired in part by the themes and imagery of Don’t Worry Darling, we examine the tension between authenticity and performance in the modern representation of womanhood. From carefully curated homes and routines to the expectation of maintaining peace, beauty, and order, we discuss how tradwife culture is presented online — and whether some of it becomes less about the lifestyle itself and more about the performance of it. We also unpack the idea of “mindless behavior”: the comfort of clearly defined roles, the appeal of simplicity, and the pressure to conform in an increasingly overwhelming world. What makes someone a tradwife? Is it the values, the lifestyle, the relationship dynamic… or the performance of it all? And in a culture where identity is constantly curated for an audience, where do authenticity and aesthetics begin to blur? Sources: Brown, Pamela. “ The ‘trad Wives’ Leaving High-Control Christian Nationalist Communities.” Youtube , CNN, 6 Apr. 2026, Accessed 2026. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7dXBpWiwxkw [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7dXBpWiwxkw] Knight, Lucy. “My Month in the TRADWIFE World: ‘I Can’t Pretend I’m Not Enjoying Myself at All ...’” The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 15 Apr. 2026, www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2026/apr/15/my-month-tradwife-world-cant-pretend-im-not-enjoying-myself [http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2026/apr/15/my-month-tradwife-world-cant-pretend-im-not-enjoying-myself]. Murray, Jessica. “Gen Z Males Twice as Likely as Baby Boomers to Believe Wives Should Obey Husbands.” The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 5 Mar. 2026, www.theguardian.com/world/2026/mar/05/gen-z-men-baby-boomers-wives-should-obey-husbands. Princess__d0ll. “Any advice for me for the future.” Reddit, 14 Apr. 2026,  https://www.reddit.com/r/tradwives/comments/1sl4ukn/any_advice_for_me_for_the_future/?solution=4bd94e09ed5837c14bd94e09ed5837c1&js_challenge=1&token=bbbe4bf1c9a2b5160829c4be34da5861286899018e7f9f77fb95b62ad8421d0f&jsc_orig_r= [https://www.reddit.com/r/tradwives/comments/1sl4ukn/any_advice_for_me_for_the_future/?solution=4bd94e09ed5837c14bd94e09ed5837c1&js_challenge=1&token=bbbe4bf1c9a2b5160829c4be34da5861286899018e7f9f77fb95b62ad8421d0f&jsc_orig_r=] Smith, Nara. “Videos.” TikTok, 2026, https://www.tiktok.com/@naraazizasmith?lang=en [https://www.tiktok.com/@naraazizasmith?lang=en] Movies and Shows Referenced  Don’t Worry Darling (2022) Lessons in Chemistry (2023) Modern Family (2009-2020) Paris is Burning (1990) The Handmaid’s Tale (2017-2025) The Stepford Wives (2004)